This invention relates to pedal device configurations for electronic percussion instrument pedals, and methods of making and using the same.
There are various kinds of electronic percussion instruments. Among them are some that have pedal devices with acoustic bass drums and some in which only a bass drum pedal device is used. The basic structure of the electronic percussion instrument pedal device for an acoustic bass drum has been similar to an electronic percussion instrument pedal device structure. In both structures, the drum head is struck by the downward pressure applied to a foot pedal which is connected to a lever system that moves a beater to strike the drum head to function and produce sounds. Depending upon the power, pressure and duration of the strike, different sounds are produced.
An electronic percussion instrument pedal device is disclosed in the Japanese public patent number 6-8998. In that device, a beater unit is used to strike the head of a drum face to produce sound. The head of the drum is backed by a sensor unit in order to electronically detect the hits made upon the drum head surface. The electronic detections are then converted to data that are conveyed through various available media to produce sounds electronically.
Another electronic percussion instrument pedal device is disclosed in the Japanese public patent number 9-97075. In that device, when the foot pedal is stepped on, it activates a sensor for an electronic high hat device. A structure of such a high hat device is shown in FIG. 10. It is struck by depressing the pedal unit 102 towards the bottom structure 105. Between the bottom surface 105 and pedal unit 102, there is a main spring structure 110. The angle of deflection between the pedal device 102 and the bottom structure 105 is set at an angle greater than 0.
In the pedal structure, the starting position of the pedal 102 is set by another spring structure 112. At a lower portion of s shaft structure 120 which is attached to the pedal unit 102, is a sensor pressing member 107. The sensor pressing member 107 is activated when depressed by the plank structure 103 which is moved downwards as a result of downward pressing of the pedal unit 102 by a foot action. Beneath the sensor pressing member 107 is located the sensor pattern 108. When the sensor pressing member 107 comes in contact with the sensor pattern 108, the degree of contact will dictate the level of electrical impulse which will be sent along through the system. According to the impulses sent, sound reconstruction will take place.
One of the limitation of the device of the first Japanese patent document number described above, is that it required the beater head to physically strike the drum head and thus causing the generation of some unwanted secondary sounds.